Former NFL athlete contemplating congressional run

Former NFL wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez is reportedly considering entering a different kind of competitive arena. He may be interested in politics, according to a Cleveland newspaper.

Gonzales, 32, a former Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots star, is considering a run for Ohio’s 16th Congressional District, according to Republican sources.

They say he’s holding meetings to explore a bid for the seat, currently held by Republican Rep. Jim Renacci. Renacci is expected to run for governor next year.

GOP State Reps. Tom Patton and Christina Hagan have already announced their candidacy for the district’s primary in May.

Gonzales met with the National Republican Congressional Committee to discuss entering the 2018 race against them, and seems serious about a candidacy. He has yet to announce his intentions publicly, but according to one source, Gonzalez will announce a decision soon.

In the wake of President’ Trump’s surprising victory, citizens from many different backgrounds are looking to become political candidates. For instance in Nevada, Danny Tarkanian, a 55-year-old Las Vegas businessman, will be challenging the Democratic incumbent, Sen. Dean Heller, in the 2018 Senate primary.

Gonzalez transitioned into a business career after retiring from the NFL in 2012. According to Cleveland.com:

“He received his MBA from Stanford University in 2014, and in June left his job as chief operating officer of Chalk Schools, an education technology firm in San Francisco, according to his LinkedIn profile. He recently moved to Westlake, which is in the 16th District, and not far from Avon Lake, where he grew up.

Gonzalez played football for St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland before going on to play for Ohio State University. He had a decorated career there on and off the field, and was named an Academic All-American. He played for five seasons for the Indianapolis Colts, which drafted him in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft, before his football career was cut short due to injuries.

Gonzalez studied philosophy at OSU, but was not known during his athletic career as being outspoken about politics. He hails from a family of Cuban-American immigrants who fled Cuba after Fidel Castro came to power, according to a 2016 WKYC interview with his father, the president of a Cleveland metal services company.”

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